Lock



Oct. 13, 1942.

- G. HOFMANN 2,298,698.

LOCK

Filed June 7,'1941 2 sheets-sheet 1 oct. l13, 1942. G. HOFMANN' 2,298,698

Lock K Filed June '7, l941 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 13 1942 LOCK George Hofmann, Boston, Mass., assignor to American Locker Company, Inc., Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application June 7, 1941, Serial No. 397,092

(Cl. Y0-358) 10 Claims.

This invention relates to locks and more particularly to coin controlled locks for use in parcel checking cabinets. Such locks in present use employ a set of locking tumblers and a cooperating key, the key being removable from the locked cabinet and serving as a check for the patron and used by him to open the cabinet when reclaiming his parcels. The primary object of the invention is the production of an improved lock of this nature and particularly for this purpose and embodying two sets of locking tumblers together with an improved key having two sets of lands thereon for releasing the tumblers, the key being claimed in my copending application Serial No. 341,711, filed June 21, 1940.

My improved lock assembly includes a lock cylinder rotatable within an outer retaining member, together with cooperating mechanism for supporting the tumblers and releasing pins and retaining the several parts in position, and an object of the invention resides in novel construction permitting easier and more economical manufacturing and assembling of the parts and the production of a more compact unit which can be conveniently disassembled for repair and like purposes. The construction furthermore includes a no-vel supporting cap carried by the cylinder for housing and retaining certain of the releasing pins and through bores for the tumblers cooperating with the releasing pins, whereby facilitating manufacture, assembly and disassembly of these parts.

A further feature of the invention relates more specifically to an improved and very compact assembly embodying a latch construction to retain the lock cylinder from return movement to the unlocked position, after the cabinet has been locked, and including means for releasing the latch when the key is removed and again inserted in the lock. This assembly embodies a movable pin mounted transversely in the cylinder in position to cooperate with the key and other mechanism for releasing the latch when the key is inserted, the assembly being extremely compact and constructed particularly for cooperation with the improved lock herein described.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood andappreciated from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a rear end View of my improved lock non-rotatably mounted in a supporting structure, Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation with portions broken away to illustrate latch mechanism,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 10, c

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3,

Figs. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional vievs taken on lines 6--6 and I-I of Fig. 4,

Figs. 8, 9y and 10 are cross-sectional views showing the latch mechanism of Fig. 3 in different positions,

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on line II-II of Fig. 10,

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of a portion of Fig. 5,

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the barrel portion of the key.

My improved lock embodies an outer member I0 having a bore I2 therethroughl and within which is an inner cylinder member I4. The outer member is the iiXed unit and is mounted nonrotatably within the structure I6 supporting the lock, this member having a laterally extending portion I5 fitting within a corresponding recess in the structure I6 and preventing rotation o-f the unit about the axis of the bore I2. A plurality of plungers or tumblers I8 are mounted in bores in the portion I5 and springs 20 normally force the plungers to the locking position within the inner member I4. The outer ends of these bores are closed by a plate 22 and releasing pins 24 cooperate with the plungers, all of which is wellknovvn construction.

The inner member I4 is slotted at 26 to receive the forward Yale key portion 28 of a key 3d having its forward edge 32 notched to provide lands for cooperating with the pins 24. A collar 34 is securely affixed to the inner member, as by sweating it thereon. The employment of an independent piece for this collar substantially fa.- cilitates the manufacture of the lock cylinder the two members I4 and 34 of which are respectively slotted and bored as independent pieces before being assembled.

The member I4 is inserted into the bore I2 to a position bringing the forward face of the collar 34 into end engagement with the outer face of the member Iii. The parts are held in this position by screws 36 extending through two locking plates 38 and 40 and threaded into the member I4. The plate 3G overlaps the inner end of the member Ill and is cut away at 42 to accommodate a stop pin 44 carried by the member Il). The shoulders at the ends of the recess 42 together with the pin 44 provide stops limiting the rotation of the inner member I4. A washer 46 is secured by pins 48 to the inner end of the member Ii! and is notched at 58 to permit passage of the key when inserting it into the lock. The rear edge of the key is notched at 52 to provide clearance for the washer when the key is rotated. This engagement of the key with the washer prevents withdrawal of the key when rotated from its inserting position in which position the tumblers I8 are in alignment with the releasing pins 24.

The outer member I Il is provided with a plurality of small bores 53 therethrough parallel Awith and disposed around the large bore I2, and mounted in each bore 53 is a locking plunger 54 normally forced forwardly by a compression spring 56. A plurality of corresponding bores are provided in the collar 34 and a releasing pin 58 is mounted in each of these bores, the plungers 54 and pins 58 being respectively in alignment when the lock is in the locked and key inserting position. The springs normally force the plungers 54 to the locking position in which the plungers 54 extend into the collar 34 and the pins 58 abut against a ange 60 which serves as a stop for the pins. This flange is integral with a caplike member 52 enclosing the collar and pinned thereto at B4.

Proper functioning of the lock requires that the springs 58 shall remain lively whereby definitely and speedily to force the plungers 54 to the locking position. It is apparent that substantial compressing of the springs beyond the plunger releasing position, as by unauthorized tampering with the lock, tends to weaken them and reduce their effectiveness. My invention contemplates stops to prevent such compressing of the springs substantially beyond a point at which the plungers 54 are released from their engagement with the collar 34. The stops which I conveniently and economically employ are pins 55 placed loosely within the springs and of a length to prevent unnecessary and unwarranted compression of the springs by limiting movement of the plungers 54 in the spring compressing direction.

The key 38 comprises the Yale portion 28 for releasing the tumblers I8, a linger-gripping portion indicated at 38, and a barrel portion 86 for releasing the plungers 54. The barrel 65 is slotted at S8 to receive the portions 28 and 38 and these parts are secured together by pins I and/or in any other suitable manner, such as welding at 1I. The forward end of the barrel is adapted to nt over the inner member I4 and has recesses 'I2 of diiferent depths in its forward end for receiving the pins 58. Pressure of the key against the pins 58 forces the pins rearwardly and the plungers 54 to the flush position shown in Fig. 5. The inserting of the key into the lock is facilitated by a lug 'I4 on and projecting inwardly from the flange 60, the key being recessed at 16 to receive this lug. It will also be understood that the parts are so arranged that the tumblers I8 and the plungers 54 are in the flush and released position when the forward end of the key barrel 66 is engaged against the collar 34 as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

The locking bolt can be applied at either end of the lock and in various positions, as indicated for example in broken lines at TI, 18 and '18. In Figs. 3 and 8-11 I have illustrated latch mechanism combined with the lock to prevent return rotary movement of the cylinder from the locked position to the unlocked position, this mechanism being particularly useful in parcel checking cabinets. The lock is shown in the locked and latched position in Figs. 3 and 8. The latch mechanism includes a latch 88 pivoted to a iixed part of the lock at 82 and engageable with a shoulder 84 to prevent anti-clockwise movement of the lock cylinder I4 and bolt 79. When used with parcel checking cabinets, the lock is in the unlocked position of Fig. 9 when the cabinet is vacant and is held from rotation to the locked position of Fig` 8 until a coin is deposited. Depositing of a coin releases the lock and permits it to be rotated to the locked position, this movement also rotating a registering counter one unit, as illustrated in my Patent No. 2,222,434. The latch 88 thereupon functions to prevent return rotation of the lock and the operator withdraws the key and retains it as his check.

Pivoted to the latch 88 at 8l is a member 83 and cooperating therewith is a lever 85 pivoted at 85 to the lock bolt 19. Mounted for radial sliding movement in the collar 34 is a pin 81 located beneath the free end of the lever 85. The lever 85 is recessed at 88 and a spring 88 anchored at 88 normally pivots the member 83 clockwise to a position engaging a stop pin 8|. When the lock is in the unlocked position these several parts are in the position of Fig. 9 and when the lock is rotated to the locked position the parts are in the position of Fig. 8. In the latter position the member 83 has dropped into the recess 88 and the latch 88 engages the shoulder 84 and prevents return rotation of the lock. In Figs. 8 and 9, the pin 8l rests on the key as seen in Fig. 4.

When the operator withdraws the key, after rotating the lock from the unlocked position of Fig. 9 to the locked position of Fig. 8, the pin 81 drops and the latch parts take the position of Fig. 3 wherein the member 83 is disposed on the free end of the lever 85 directly beneath the pivot point 8| of the member 83. Inserting the key thereafter raises the pin 8l and the latch 88, through the intermediate member 83, to the position of Fig. 10 whereby releasing the lock for return rotation to the unlocked position of Fig. 9.

The shoulder 84 is formed on a member 92 mounted on the cap 52 directly beneath the locking bolt 19, the members 92 and '9 being tightly tted to the cap. A pin 84 serves to key both members 92 and I9 non-rotatably to the meinbers 34 and 82. This pin has a relatively large outer key-like portion closely fitting within keyways in the members 92 and 'I9 and a reduced inner portion extending through the cap S2 and into the collar 34.

It will now be apparent that I have produced an improved and extremely compact lock which can be manufactured and assembled more economically and conveniently than like locks heretofore known and can likewise be most conveniently disassembled for repair and like purposes. It should be particularly noted that the through bores 53 provide access to the locking plungers 54 merely by removing the screws 36, and the pins 55 which provide spring and plunger stops require only the insertion of such pins when assembling the lock. The two sets of tumblers I8 and 54 are independent one of the other and are in different planes and relatively angular, whereby rendering the lock extremely diicult to unauthorized manipulation by vibrating or any other method or means. The key is furthermore a radical departure from present known keys and far more difficult to produce or duplicate, and greatly increases the number of combinations possible as will be understood. Also cooperating with the key and combined particularly with my improved lock is the latch mechanism including the pin 81 and latch `8i! for automatically preventing return movement of the lock from the locked position to the unlocked position without first withdrawing the key. These features together with other novel elements of the invention all combine to produce a greatly improved lock assembly especially adapted to coin controlled uses and the like.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is,

1. A lock comprising an outer member having a large bore therethrough and a plurality of small bores therethrough parallel with and disposed about the large bore, an inner member rotatable within the large bore and having a forward portion of larger diameter in end contact with the outermember and provided with small bores in alignment with the first named small bores, locking plungers and releasing pins carried respectively in the rst and second named small bores, springs within the rst named small bores rearwardly of the plungers and adapted to force the plungers toward the pins, means closing the rearward ends of the small bores rearwardly of the springs in the outer member, and means detachably connected to one of the members and holding :the rstnamed means in said bore closing position.

2, The look defined in claim l in which the first-named means comprises an annular member disposed about the large bore and over said ends of the small bores and in which the second-named means is screw threaded to one of the members.

3. A lock comprising an outer member having a large bore therethrough and a plurality of small bores therethrough parallel with and disposed about the large bore, an inner member rotatable within the large bore and having a forward portion of larger diameter in end contact with the outer member and provided with small bores in alignment with the first named small bores, locking plungers and releasing pins carried respectively in the rst and second named small bores, springs within the first named small bores rearwardly of the plungers and adapted to force the plungers toward the pins, and means detachab-ly connected to the rearward end of the inner member and overlapping the outer member in a position holding the inner member seated in the large bore and closing the rearward ends of the small bores in the outer member.

4. In a lock, a lock cylinder having a keyreceiving slot therein and rotatable to and from locked and unlocked positions, a latch arranged to prevent rotation of the cylinder from one of said positions to the other position, and latch releasing means including a pin mounted for longitudinal movement in and transversely of the cylinder in position relative to the slot to be engaged and moved to latch releasing position by the key in its movement in the slot.

5. In a lock, a look cylinder having a keyreceiving slot therein and rotatable to and from locked and unlocked positions, a latch arranged to prevent rotation of the cylinder from the locked position to the unlocked position, and means for releasing the latch when the key is inserted into the lock, said means including a movable pin carried by the cylinder in position to be engaged by the key and an Vintermediate member between the pin and latch.

6. 'Ihe combination defined in claim 5' in which the latch is pivoted to a fixed part of the lock and the intermediate member is pivoted to the latch.

'7. In a lock, a lock cylinder adapted to receive a key for rotating the cylinder to and from locked and unlocked positions, a latch arranged to prevent rotation of the cylinder from one to the other of said positions, and means for raising the latch to released position, said means including a member pivoted to the latch, a member pivoted to the cylinder, a spring normally holding the rst member in contact with the second member, and a pin in the cylinder beneath the second member and in position to be moved outwardly by the key and move the said members and. latch to the released position.

8. In combination, a lock comprising an outer member, a lock cylinder rotatable to and from locked and unlocked positions within the outer member, the lock cylinder having non-rotatably affixed thereto an annular portion of relatively larger diameter and in end engagement with the front face of the outer member, a plurality of locking plungers carried by the outer member, a plurality of releasing pins carried by said annular portion of the inner member respectively in alignment contact with the plungers adjacent to said face, a latch arranged to prevent rotation of the lock cylinder from one of said positions to the other position, latch releasing means including a pin mounted for longitudinal movement in and transversely of said annular portion of the lock cylinder, and a key having a portion for engaging and moving the releasing pins longitudinally against the plung-.

ers and another portion for engaging said pin and moving it to latch releasing position.

9. In combination, a lock comprising an outer member, a lock cylinder rotatable to and from locked and unlocked positions within the outer member, a plurality of radial tumblers carried by the outer member for locking the cylinder against rotation therein, the lock cylinder having non-rotatably affixed thereto an annular portion of relatively larger diameter and in end engagement with the front face of the outer member, a plurality of locking plungers carried by and extending longitudinally of the outer member, a plurality of releasing pins carried by said annular portion of the inner member respectively in alignment contact with the plungers adjacent to said face, a cap-like member on and non-rotatably aixed to said annular portion and having its forward end spaced from the outer cylindrical surface of the lock cylinder to provide an annular gap therebetween and a stop for said pins, and a key having an open portion engageable over the lock cylinder through said gap and provided with forwardly facing lands located in spaced relation about the longitudinal axis of the open portion to cooperate with said pins and effect the release of the pin tumblers and a longer Yale key portion extending forwardly beyond said open portion and provided thereon with laterally facing lands located in longitudinal alignment therealong to effect the release of the radial tumblers.

10. In combination, a lock comprising an outer member, a look cylinder rotatable to and from locked and unlocked positions within the outer member, locking tumblers adapted to secure the cylinder in the locked position, a key provided with means for releasing the tumblers when the key is inserted into the lock, latch means for preventing rotation of the cylinder from locked to unlocked position after being turned from the locked to the unlocked position by the key, and cooperating means including a pin extending transversely of the lock end engageable by the key for releasing the first-named means and permitting rotation of the cylinder from the locked to the unlocked position when the key has been withdrawn from and reinserted into the lock.

GEORGE HOFMIANN. 

